Ein einfacher Unfall / It was just an accident

In the organizer's words:

CANVAS OF SOLIDARITY
Film series

The series shows outstanding documentaries about flight, human rights and European responsibility. A series of the Kölner Spendenkonvoi e.V. in cooperation with the Theater im Bauturm.

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A SIMPLE ACCIDENT

Directed by Jafar Panahi

Length approx. 105 min | Languages Persian, with English subtitles

A car mechanic. A customer with a prosthetic leg. A squeak that stirs up memories.

Vahid believes he recognizes the man as his former torturer from prison and kidnaps him. But then he starts to have doubts. Was it really him? And if so, how far can retribution go when justice is not served?

Director Jafar Panahi shot the film without permission from the Iranian authorities. He has been working under a 20-year ban since 2010. In December 2025, he was convicted again in absentia. The film nevertheless received the Palme d'Or in Cannes. This makes Panahi only the fourth director to win the three major European festival awards: the Golden Lion in Venice, the Golden Bear in Berlin and the Palme d'Or in Cannes.

The film is about the scars that state violence leaves on people. In a country where this has been a reality for decades, it is still a reality today: mass protests, repression, oppression and severe war.

The film will be followed by a discussion about the film, Iran and the question of how societies deal with state violence and its after-effects.

There will be a follow-up discussion.

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It Was Just an Accident Jafar Panahi

Directed by Jafar Panahi

Duration approx. 105 min | Languages Persian, with English subtitles

A car mechanic. A customer with a prosthetic leg. A squeak that tears open old memories.

Vahid believes he recognizes the man as his former torturer from prison and abducts him. But then doubts begin to surface. Was it really him? And if so: how far can revenge go when justice is absent?

Director Jafar Panahi shot the film without permission from the Iranian authorities. Since 2010, he has been working under a 20-year professional ban. In December 2025, he was once again sentenced in absentia. Nevertheless, the film was awarded the Palme d'Or in Cannes. Panahi is only the fourth director to have won the three major European festival prizes: the Golden Lion in Venice, the Golden Bear in Berlin, and the Palme d'Or in Cannes.

The film deals with the scars that state violence leaves on individuals. In the country where this has been a reality for decades, it remains so today: mass protests, crackdowns, repression, and ongoing conflict.

A discussion about the film, Iran, and the question of how societies deal with state violence and its aftermath will follow the screening.

There will also be a post-screening discussion.